Charity slams UK’s plan to return refugees to Bibby Stockholm barge
A refugee charity has condemned the UK's plan to move hundreds of asylum seekers back on the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge before its repairs are completed, accusing the British ministers of playing Russian roulette with refugees’ lives.
Steve Smith, the chief executive of the refugee charity Care4Calais made the remarks on Thursday, after the UK Home Office decided to return the asylum seekers to the barge despite the discovery of Legionella bacteria in the vessel's water system earlier this month.
“The government is playing Russian roulette with the lives of asylum seekers over the Bibby Stockholm,” he said, asking “Why are they planning to put asylum seekers back on the barge before repairs making it legally compliant with water legislation have been carried out?”
“The government already placed people onboard the Bibby Stockholm when the presence of legionella was known. Now we know they want to do the same thing before repairs to the plumbing system have been completed,” he added.
On August 11, traces of Legionella bacteria were found in the Bibby Stockholm’s water system. All 39 migrants were evacuated after the discovery, four days after the first arrivals were brought onboard.
Legionella bacteria can cause a serious type of lung infection known as Legionnaires' disease.
According to the Home Office, none of the refugees on the barge had shown any symptoms of the disease.
The Home Office spokesperson said the plumbing work, which is underway at the barge, is “scheduled and routine” and not connected to the discovery of the potentially deadly Legionella bacteria.
“This doesn’t affect the ability of asylum seekers to return to the vessel and the repairs can be carried out while people are onboard,” the spokesperson added.
This is while the water supply and sewerage utility company Wessex Water says the inspection was prompted by the discovery of the bacteria on the barge, which is intended to house up to 500 people.
Every year, thousands of asylum-seekers travel to Britain on small dinghies, risking their lives to cross the English Channel. Now, more than 50,000 of these desperate people are living in hotels waiting for the result of their asylum claims.
As a controversial policy to deter refugees from reaching Britain through unauthorized means, London is moving asylum seekers onto abandoned military sites and barges like the gray, three-story Bibby Stockholm, with the capacity to fit 500 people, in Portland.
The UK plan was criticized amid concerns about asylum seekers' welfare. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has also called the vessel a potential "death trap".
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